


New Year, New Start

by echolehane



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-17
Updated: 2017-05-17
Packaged: 2018-11-01 09:46:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10919307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/echolehane/pseuds/echolehane
Summary: It's the first New Year she won't be ringing in with deadbeats by her side. The first New Years Eve she won't be alone.





	New Year, New Start

**Author's Note:**

> Quickly written and unedited. I hope it passes for acceptable. Enjoy!

New Years was never really a big deal for Faith. She’s never really had anyone to spend it with, no friends and certainly no family who are willing to ring in a new year with her. There’s been parties over the years, sure, but they’re usually boring and filled with a lot of people and she’s not really having fun until she’s five drinks down. But this year, this feels different.

Sure, she may not exactly have _friends_ here in Sunnydale, but she knows people. She may not have family, but she has acquaintances. And since she doesn’t particularly want to be watching the ball drop alone on her fuzzy TV in her shitty motel room, she kind of wants to spend it with them.

So sure she – the big mean Faith Lehane – has feelings. But only a couple.

This year is different. She’s trying to build something with Buffy, trying to integrate herself into the Scooby Gang. They’re reluctant about accepting her, sure, but some tiny part of her thinks that if she forces herself enough, they’re bound to come through. They’re bound to invite her in.

God, it sucks being on the outside. Feeling like a fucking vampire, having to wait and be invited to events and into their inner circle.

“So, New Years,” Faith brings it up, refusing to wait any longer. Buffy pauses at the entrance to the cemetery, just a few feet away. She turns back to Faith with an expectant look. “You doing anything?”

Buffy shrugs. “Probably just watching the ball drop with my mom. Nothing special as of now.”

New Years Eve isn’t exactly far away now, so it surprises Faith that Little Miss Sociable hasn’t got any plans. But Faith jumps at the opportunity nevertheless.

“I’m heading to the Bronze, you wanna come?” Faith tries to remain calm, memories flashing back to when she asked Buffy if they could go to the dance together. She recalls how Buffy had balked, and tries to make her approach more lighthearted. “Or we could just watch the ball drop on my shitty TV while drinking cheap beer?”

It’s intended as a joke, and thankfully Buffy takes it as one, laughter spilling from her lips. Faith can’t help the grin spreading across her own face at the sound.

“I mean, sure,” Buffy lifts on shoulder casually, and Faith thinks that despite the normalcy of the moment, she’s going to pass out. “Not the shitty TV thing. The Bronze thing. Could be fun.”

“Yeah, wicked,” Faith contradicts her racing heart with calmer words, and lifts one hand in farewell. “See ya tomorrow, B.”

 

Faith spends most of the next day convincing herself not to replay Buffy’s answer in her mind over and over. She eats almost all of her food stash just in order to stop thinking. But her mind is already turning the potential scenarios over in her head. They’ll dance, she’s sure. And dancing is always a great thing when Buffy is involved. Faith might even be able to coax her into having a drink. And then there will come the crucial moment, the transitional second, where everyone will want their New Years kiss. And if Faith is the only person around that Buffy knows, she’s betting her odds are pretty good.

Which does not help her mind trying to stay away from that topic. At all.

Since it’s Christmas break, there’s no school, but Giles has insisted they continue training. So when it hits the pre-arranged 3pm, Faith hauls herself out of bed, switches off the fuzzy TV, and heads out the door to the cemetery. Training is always a lot of fun, and training with Buffy is even better. So she makes her way to Restfield, knowing her blonde is waiting.

Faith enters the cemetery and locates Buffy almost immediately. She’s sitting on a headstone, decked out in workout gear, and looking as gorgeous as ever. Faith knows they’re only training here because school is closed for Christmas, and it’s good to get to know the ground that they patrol. But the reason she loves it is because Buffy looks at home. She looks natural and relaxed, and it’s a sight to behold.

Faith announces her presence with a greeting loud enough to wake any potential vamps, and Buffy turns to look at her, rolling her eyes in the process.

 “Yes, hi Faith, now get your ass over here.”

When they pause to grab a drink of water, Faith doesn’t expect Buffy to say anything. Oddly enough, training is one of the few times she sees Buffy pretty focused, with less chatter. It’s equal parts nice and odd.

“Hey, you know New Years?” Buffy says as she lifts the bottle to her lips. She takes a swig before continuing. “The gang was thinking we’ll do something at Giles’s place.”

Faith feels her heart sink, already hearing the rejection in her mind, trying to prepare herself for the audible version. She shouldn’t have expected anything. She shouldn’t have gotten her hopes up, shouldn’t have thought even for a second that someone like Buffy would choose her over her friends. There’s always something better, something more important. Some _one_ more important.

She nearly misses Buffy’s continuation. “But you’re welcome to come, I guess.”

The ‘I guess’ added on to the end doesn’t instil a lot of hope in Faith, but it’s better than nothing. And it’s better than Buffy just pushing her aside.

“Aw, B, ya don’t have to.”

“I told you I’d spend New Years Eve with you, Faith, don’t be stupid,” she sets the water bottle on a headstone and gestures to the mitts beside it. “Now get those on so we can keep going.”

Faith fights the smile that’s trying to tug at her lips, and does as her sister slayer asks.

 

New Years Ever rolls around faster than she expects, though it’s really only a few days. Her days are only full of watching shitty TV and training, but it passes quicker than ever. Maybe it’s because she’s looking forward to New Years Eve, even though she refuses to admit it to even herself. Maybe it’s because the possibility of not spending a holiday alone is something she kind of loves.

Regardless, within the blink of an eye, she’s standing on Giles’s front porch, terrified to knock. She can’t exactly place why, but it’s probably got something to do with the fact that she’s pretty sure everyone on the other side of that door hates her. Two bottles of soda are tucked under her arm, and her flask is tucked in her pocket so she can spice up her own drink. There’s a bag of chips in her hand, and surprisingly none of her goodies were stolen. She figured Giles would be able to tell if they were, and totally destroying her relationship with him would probably be a bad idea.

After a solid three minutes and twelve seconds staring at the door (not that she’s counting), she finally manages to lift her hand and knock on the door.

Xander answers, and she can tell right away he either didn’t know that she was coming, or didn’t think she’d show up. His face is painted with surprise, and he remains silent for long enough for her to actually say something.

“Hey,” she says with a bit of a shrug. She offers him the chips. “Here.”

Xander takes the food, and it’s like she’s given the secret password or something. Her steps aside, and she walks into the apartment.

Buffy’s voice stands out from the small group instantly, and Faith gravitates towards it as though it’s a magnetic force. Thankfully, Buffy’s got an empty seat next to her where she’s sitting on the couch, and Faith takes it without stopping to ask.

“Please, do take a seat,” Giles’s voice is sarcastic, but his expression isn’t totally hostile so she figures it’s fine. She offers up the soda, and allows the conversation to continue.

 

The night is nice, which is kind of a surprise to Faith. She had imagined it could be awkward, like she’d be on the outside of the group as she’s always been. But it’s actually kind of fun. And someone’s brought a pack of cards, so she feels right at home. At some point, all of them accuse her of cheating, but she just tosses cards at them until they shut up, or burst into giggles. Both are acceptable, but a giggling Buffy is much more rewarding, in her opinion.

At about ten minutes to midnight, Willow insists they put their cards away and settle in to watch the ball drop. They fight it for a few minutes, before Buffy gives in. And where Buffy goes, the rest of the gang must follow. So Faith chooses the seat right beside Buffy on the couch, squeezed so close she can feel the heat of her skin even through both of their pants. Xander is on her other side, but she’s not really paying him much attention. Her attention is better focused on the girl beside her, as always. 

The minute before they start counting down, Faith is hardly looking at the TV screen any more. Her gaze is stuck on Buffy like gum, her brain defying her every order to shut up and stop thinking about a New Years kiss. Then they’re counting down and her gaze is drawn back to the TV. The cheers at midnight are deafening, especially because Buffy is right beside her and her shriek could rival a banshee.  She doesn’t realise everyone’s jumped up and started hugging, until she’s the only one still sitting on the couch and staring at a bunch of legs. Celebration’s never really been her thing, and neither has the whole ‘joyous moment’ idea. So she sits and watches the gang hug each other, resigning herself to the fact that she’s not going to get a kiss, but maybe there’s a hug in it for her.

The whole night has been good anyway, it’s been worth sucking up her pride and coming to a group event, without alcohol or dancing or loud music. It’s totally the opposite of what she’d expected to enjoy, but it’s been surprisingly nice. It’s made her feel less like an outsider.

Suddenly, there’s a pair of lips on her cheek that shocks her back to the present. As the mouth against her cheek moves away, Faith turns and finds Buffy’s face mere inches from hers. The blonde gives her a 100-watt grin, before stepping back and heaving Faith to her feet. The raven-haired slayer is a little thrown by the movement, but Buffy’s hand in hers steadies her. Their contact is only broken when Xander sweeps Buffy into a hug, and Willow tentatively approaches Faith. The brunette opens her arms, albeit reluctantly, and embraces the other girl. When they let go, Faith’s gaze is drawn again to Buffy, moving from person to person like a pinball. As though her hand has a will of its own, her fingers lift to brush her cheek, the spot exactly where Buffy’s lips were only moments ago.

She can hardly think of a better way to start the new year.


End file.
